timothy_p_mcmahon wrote:LSJ reads "butterfly or moth" rather than "something like a butterfly or moth" so I guess you can take that as you'd like.

Since one of the three references (Arist.HA551a14, Thphr.HP2.4.4, Plu. 2.636c) is in Aristotle's Historia Animalium, I'm kind of assuming it's an actual insect. But if you can track down the texts, I'd appreciate getting more information.

I think it's just the local or popular name of a certain kind of lepidopteran. I might render this as: "Those called "souls" come from caterpillars, which are hatched on top of yellowish green leaves, and especially upon cabbage, which some call krambe (i.e., the wild cabbage, Brassica cretica), ..."

I think it's just the local or popular name of a certain kind of lepidopteran. I might render this as: "Those called "souls" come from caterpillars, which are hatched on top of yellowish green leaves, and especially upon cabbage, which some call krambe (i.e., the wild cabbage, Brassica cretica), ..."

Thanks! From what I found, there are species of both butterflies and moths that feed on plants of the family Brassicaceae. Could it be that they didn't distinguish between them at all?

You may find it interesting to know that in modern greek as well, it is used sometimes for that moth night thing, but also for small butterflies. When one visits you after a person has died, people say that the dead soul has visited you. Not language info, but still...

Penelope Kappa wrote:You may find it interesting to know that in modern greek as well, it is used sometimes for that moth night thing, but also for small butterflies. When one visits you after a person has died, people say that the dead soul has visited you. Not language info, but still...